Spring



NOV. 10, 1931. ow s 1,831,258

SPRING Filed Nov. 12, was

Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES FREEMAN H. OWENS, OF NEW YORK, N.

Y., ASSIGNOR TO OWENS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SPRING Application filed November 12, 1926. Serial No. 147,982.

My invention refers generally to springs, and particularly to that type of spring suitable as a motor or source of power which, when ut under compression or wound up, expem s its energy to drive or rotate a shaft, gearing, pulleys or other devices.

Coil springs of various types have been heretofore used as motors and a problem in such use has always been in the provision of a spring of suflicient length and stiffness or strength to accomplish the purpose desired and provide the required power for the necessary period of time, and at the same time to accommodate such a spring within'the space I volutions to ride upon or over each other.

A, more specific object is to provide a spring of the lateral coil type in which the coils thereof are formed at given points about their circumference with depressions or indentations whereby the length of wire in a spring of a given length may be considerably greater than that of the ordinary circular coils forming a spring of this type.

A still further object is the provision of a' novel method of forming such a spring.

Other objects and advantages in details of construction and operation will be apparentasthe description proceeds, reference now being had to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals indicates like parts.

In the drawing .Figure 1 is a detail sectional view'illustrating one embodimept of my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar View. illustrating another embodiment thereof;

'Figures' 3 and 4 are similar views illustrating still further modifications of my improved spring. I

Figure 5 is a detail side view of a spring made in accordance with my invention.

Figure 6 is a detail end view partly in section illustrating clearly the preferred method of forming my improved spring.

Figure 7 is a detail end view illustrating a modified method of forming the spring.

In Fig. 1, the referencenumeral 1 refers to the spring,wire, oneend 2 of which is shown secured to a shaft 3 adapted to be rotated by the spring 1 when the same is wound and its tension released. Any suitable winding mechanism may of course be provided for tensioning the spring and it will be understood, of course, that the motion imparted to the shaft by the spring may be utilized in the driving of gears, pulleys, or any desired apparatus.

The spring 1 is in this modification provided with three depressions or indentations 4 which obviously-permit a greater length of wire to be wound into a given length of spring. This, of course, tends to lengthen the period of power or exertion of the spring in a single winding and permit the use of such spring ina space no larger than is required for the conventional circular spring of the same length.

Oviously too, due to the indentations 4, such a spring eliminates the climbing or riding of the adjacent convolutions of the wire up over each other during the winding or In Fig. 1 but 3 indentations 4 are provided. I

It will be clear, of course$that more than 3' may be provided, if desired, instances of 6 andS-indentations being illustrated in Figs.

2 and 3 respectively, the reference characters 4a and 4b designating such indentations.

'Obviously, the greater the number of indentations, the greater the length of wire in a given length of spring.

In Fig. 4:, the indentations 5 are shown to spring of a larger outside diameter than the shaft.

Figure '5 illustrating a side view of the ,spring shown in Fig. 3 wherein the shaft 3 has secured thereto one end 2 of the spring material 1, provided with the indentations 4b. The opposite end 7 of the spring is shown secured to a sleeve 8 rotatable upon the shaft 3 whereby the spring may be wound or through which the power of thespring may be exerted to'operate any desired device.

Fig. 6 illustrates the preferred method of forming my improved spring, and as shown,

there is provided a mandrel 9 having a peripheral configuration conforming to the desired form of spring to be made. A second and similarly shaped mandrel 10 is provided closely adjacent thereto and between these mandrels the wire 1 is drawn over a. roller or guide 11 from any suitable source of supply (not shown). The mandrel 9 is mounted upon a shaft 12 which, when rotated, draws the wire 1 from its source of supply and after being formed and shaped between the two mandrels, is wound upon the mandrel 9 until the desired length of spring is wound, whereuse.

upon it may be removed and is readyfor An adjusting screw 13 is provided whereby the pressure between the two mandrels 9 and 10 may be adjusted, and also for accommodating various sizes of wire.

In Fig. 7, I have shown a modified form of apparatus and method of forming my improved spring comprising a .mandrel 14 mounted upon a rotatable shaft 15. This mandrel is provided with the desired peripheral form for the shape of the sprin desired, and one end of the spring secure thereto. Upon rotation of the mandrel step b step, or intermittentl the wire 1 is woun upon the mandrel an at each partial turn of the mandrel and between movements thereof, a

plunger 16 engages with the wire 1 pressing the same into the indentations 17 formed on the periphery of the mandrel whereby the wire conforms to the shape thereof.

Of course, there are many changes whlch may be made in details of construction and operation without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not limit myself, therefore, to the exact forms and method herein shown and described, other than by the appended claim.

I. claim A spring comprising a pluralit of convolutions of s ring wire wound si e by s de, said convolut1ons being indented at pomts around and extending inwardly from their peripheries, said indentations being in substantial alignment-when said spring 1s free from tension.

' OWENS. 

